DIY Pantone wall art

Have I ever mentioned how much I freaking love Pantone? Like, major obsessor right here! If you strip it all back, then Pantone is simply a colour organisational tool. But in reality, it is so much more – they have a huge range of irresistible merchandise and paints, as well as more unusual spin offs like a hotel in Brussels (which I was lucky enough to stay in a few years back!).

So you can imagine my excitement when I discovered that my local DIY store stocks a range of Pantone paints… and, even better, they’re accompanied with sample chips! I immediately started thinking of ways to use these iconic colour chips in a craft project, as a way to bring even more Pantone goodness into my house. The result? A simple, but oh-so-dreamy, DIY Pantone wall art. Check out the video and photo tutorial below to learn how you can make your own.

DIY Pantone wall art

Supplies

A large picture frame

Poster board to fit the frame

Pantone chips

A ruler

Double sided sticky tape

Tutorial

Start by laying your poster board flat on the floor (or a large table). Spread the Pantone chips randomly over your poster board, loosely arranging them into rows and columns. Don’t worry about getting the distances perfect just yet – the main thing is getting the colour layout spot on.

Take a few steps back and consider the layout of the colours. Does the balance look right? Do the colours work together well? Here’s a few tips to help you get that perfect arrangement:

The key thing is to make sure that there are no repeat colours next to one another (that includes variants of a colour, like different shades of blue).

Try to focus on broad categories of colours at a time. For example, look at all the warm colours (reds, purples, oranges, pinks) – are they evenly spaced? Then move onto the cold colours (blues, greens, whites) and, lastly, the neutral colours (browns, greys, creams).

Are there any colour combos that you especially love? Feel free to move these adjacent to each other on your DIY wall art – it’s nice to have a little hint towards your fave combo, within a big scattering of colour chips!

It’s easy to spend waaay to long on moving the colour chips around – but try not to overthink it! You should be able to come to a good layout by spending just 5-10 minutes moving it about. If in doubt, ask a friend!

Once you’ve got the colour combo spot on, add a strip of double sided sticky tape to the back of every colour chip and put them to one side. Then it’s simply a case of using a ruler to line up the Pantone chips, one by one, and stick them down in a perfect grid. Depending on the size of your wall art, you might find it easier to measure the grid and mark it out with a pencil first. Once you’ve stuck them all down, simply mount the decorated poster board in a frame and hang it up.

I chose to hang my DIY Pantone wall art on my staircase, which doesn’t get much direct sunlight. It’s really brightened the space up! I love that it’s become one of the central focal points of the house – a real conversation starter for guests (“Which one is your favourite colour?”), and a daily source of colour inspiration. I’m even thinking of making a second one, but arranging the colours in a gradient to match my home… I’ll be sure to share the photos on Instagram if I give that one a go! – Mike.

About me

Mike is the owner and founder of The Crafty Gentleman, a website aimed at encouraging men into the world of crafts. He loves nothing more than an afternoon spent crafting, with a cup of tea and some good tunes in the background.